Alibaba joins Daimler, Audi and Volvo to advance in automotive connectivity and Artificial Intelligence

The Alibaba Group has just announced three major agreements with car manufacturers for the development of services for connected vehicles powered by artificial intelligence, thanks to which owners of vehicles from the Daimler Group brands, from Audi and from Volvo will be able to remotely access various information about their respective vehicles (location, engine status, fuel control, …) using AliGenie, Alibaba’s voice assistant.

AliGenie is the artificial intelligence platform developed by the Alibaba Group, through which drivers will be able to remotely check information about the status of their vehicle and interact at a distance with the vehicle to carry out different functions, such as unlocking the doors or adjusting the air conditioning before the driver reaches the vehicle or gets into it.

The agreements reached between Alibaba and the aforementioned manufacturers will also make it possible to “enrich the portfolio of in-car information and entertainment with content offers from the distribution platform”. Alibaba’s idea is for the system to work in both directions and, just as it allows remote control of various vehicle functions, to also enable control of certain household appliances or systems installed at home (fridge contents, starting the washing machine, home climate control, security, etc.) from the car itself.

According to Alibaba, the first batch of vehicles with these systems will be available on the Chinese market next June. They will be models from Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, including the current Volvo XC90, S90 and XC60. All of them will integrate the voice command function powered by Artificial Intelligence, which will be introduced into the vehicles through future software updates.

According to Chen Lijuan, head of Alibaba AI Labs—the research unit of the commercial distribution platform for developing AI-based systems—the platform’s intention is to “soon add other manufacturers” to these collaboration agreements.

The application of AliGenie in intelligent transport is a clear demonstration of how it combines a deep understanding of Chinese customers and experience in a range of technologies with products and solutions adapted to real life,” says Chen. Chinese customers are more willing to adopt new technologies and features compared with consumers elsewhere, driving the development of interconnected smart cars,” said Heinz-Willi Vassen, R&D director of Audi in China.

The platform will only be operational for the Chinese market, although Alibaba plans to expand it in the future to the other main markets in both North America and Europe.